Boy · Old English · International
Wesley
WesleySay it WEZ-lee
- Meaning
- Western meadow: Old English west, "west, westward", and léah, "lea, meadow" Bosworth & Toller
- Say it
- WEZ-lee
- Other spellings
- Westley
Wesley
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Wesley meaning
Wesley is an international boy's name of Old English origin.
Western meadow: Old English west, "west, westward", and léah, "lea, meadow"
Wesley is an English surname from a place name, earlier Westley, joining Old English west, 'to the west', with léah, which Bosworth-Toller gives as a lea or meadow, so a 'western meadow' or clearing. It became a first name chiefly in honour of John Wesley, the eighteenth-century preacher who founded the Methodist movement, and his brother Charles, who wrote thousands of hymns. Methodist churches, schools and colleges named after Wesley are found across the world, including in India. Baby-name lists give 'western meadow', which matches. It is said WEZ-lee or WES-lee.
Source: Bosworth & Toller, An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary (1898), online edition · entry west (with léah) · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026
References: Bosworth-Toller, west · Bosworth-Toller, léah · Wikipedia, John Wesley
Famous namesakes
- John Wesley, founder of Methodism
- Charles Wesley, English hymn writer
Popularity abroad
- #52 United States, boys 2025 (up 6 from 58 in 2024)
US Social Security Administration - #539 England and Wales, boys 2025
Office for National Statistics
Official birth registrations. India publishes no national name statistics.
Spellings
Wesley · Westley